Scalped-Man (Tale 61)

Also known as: Scalped-Man · Role: mysterious being · First appears: Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 1

During four days and nights in the hunter (Tale 61)’s cave, Scalped-Man became friendly with him. He told the hunter he knew the surrounding country and made long journeys into enemy territory, and promised to help him become a great man if he kept secret that Scalped-Man lived in the Bad Lands. He later gave the hunter ponies and scalps, which the hunter took to his village.

After the hunter claimed credit for Scalped-Man’s achievements and became a chief, he planned to capture his benefactor, telling other men that Scalped-Man had helped him obtain ponies and kill people. Scalped-Man had only been slightly wounded on the top of his head, not truly scalped. That night he moved his belongings to another country to avoid capture, and was never seen again.

Relationship record

Life events

The hunter and Scalped-Man become friendly while the hunter stays in the cave.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 1 · 📍 Scalped-Man’s cave)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “The man kept talking to the Scalped-Man until the Scalped-Man became friendly, then the man sat down.”
Scalped-Man gives the hunter several ponies, which the hunter takes home.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 1)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “When he came back he took the man out of his den and told him that he had brought several ponies for him. The ponies were in a valley. The man thanked the Scalped-Man. He took the ponies home.”
Scalped-Man gives the hunter many ponies, which he drives to the village.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 1 · 📍 the Scalped-Man’s cave)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “The Scalped-Man disappeared and in a few days returned. He gave the man all the ponies he had brought from the enemy’s country. The man now thanked the Scalped-Man and drove the ponies to the village.”
Scalped-Man gives the hunter scalps, which the hunter displays in his village.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 1 · 📍 the Scalped-Man’s cave)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “The man stayed right in the Scalped-Man’s cave when he received the scalps. He fixed them on sticks. The man now returned to his village, singing war songs.”
Scalped-Man returned with scalps, which the man received.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2 · 📍 the cave)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “In a few days the Scalped-Man came back with the scalps. The man received the scalps.”
The man became a chief after claiming credit for the Scalped-Man’s achievements.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2 · 📍 the village)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “he was now a chief for having done all his great acts.”
The Scalped-Man’s friend betrayed him by planning to capture him.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2 · 📍 the Bad Lands)
- With: the hunter (Tale 61)
- “So this man invited a lot of men in the night and told them that it was his intention that morning to go out and capture a Scalped-Man who dwelt in the Bad Lands; that this Scalped-Man was the one who was assisting him to get the ponies and kill people.”
The Scalped-Man was revealed to have been only slightly wounded, not scalped.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2)
- “for the Scalped-Man had not been really scalped, but had been wounded a little on the top of his head”
The Scalped-Man moved away from the country to avoid capture.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2 · 📍 the Bad Lands)
- “So when the Scalped-Man returned into his cave that night he picked up his things, moved them away from that country to some other place”
The Scalped-Man was never seen again.(Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2)
- “The Scalped-Man was never seen any more.”

Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 1

friends with the hunter (Tale 61) “The man kept talking to the Scalped-Man until the Scalped-Man became friendly, then the man sat down.”
recipient: the hunter (Tale 61) “The Scalped-Man told the man that he knew the country all around, and that he took long journeys into the enemy’s country and had killed many enemies; that if he would keep his secret of his living in the Bad Lands he would help him to become a great man like himself.”

Tale 61 · The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer · Part 2

friends with the hunter (Tale 61) “The friend of the Scalped-Man was afraid that the people would find out about the Scalped-Man, so he thought it was about time that the Scalped-Man should be caught;”

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Extracted from the original text of Traditions of the Arikara. Made with Rho MD.